WIRE: Judge rules Arizona marijuana initiative OK for November ballot

PHOENIX — On Friday, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents of Proposition 205 who want to keep the measure off the November ballot.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is supporting Proposition 205, is calling on Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, who were plaintiffs in the lawsuit, to accept the court’s ruling and focus on fighting serious crimes instead of citizen initiatives.

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling and that Arizona voters will be able to exercise their right to vote on Proposition 205,” said CRMLA Campaign Chairman J.P. Holyoak. “This was a frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit. If these county prosecutors dislike this ballot measure, they should take their arguments to the voters, not to our overburdened court system. We hope they will accept the court’s ruling and return to waging legal battles against dangerous criminals rather than citizen initiatives.”

Proposition 205 qualified for the November ballot on August 10 when the Arizona Secretary of State officially certified the petition submitted by the CRMLA. Supporters collected more than a quarter of a million signatures in support of placing the measure on the ballot.

Proposition 205 would allow adults 21 and older to possess limited amounts of marijuana; establish a system in which marijuana is regulated similarly to alcohol; and enact a 15 percent tax on retail marijuana sales (in addition to standard state and local sales taxes), from which a majority of the revenue would be directed to Arizona schools and education program. The Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimates that passage of Proposition 205 would generate approximately $123 million in annual tax revenue, including more than $55 million per year for Arizona schools.

“Roughly 84 years ago, it was the voters who put an end to the failed policy of alcohol prohibition in Arizona,” Holyoak said. “Today’s ruling confirmed they will have the opportunity to end an equally disastrous prohibition policy this November.”

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The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is supporting Proposition 205, a statewide ballot initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Arizona and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateMarijuanaAZ.org.